Energy dissipating protective gear

ABSTRACT

A protective helmet includes an energy dissipative assembly including a conforming protective base adapted to directly contact and conform to a corresponding bony anatomical region of a wearer&#39;s head. A supported flexible suspended crown adapted to be affixed to the conforming protective base and configured to define a gap separating substantially all of the interior surface of the supported flexible suspended crown from contact with a corresponding anatomical crown region of the wearer when the helmet is donned by the wearer. The supported flexible suspended crown including at least one contoured flexible shell or a plurality of cantilevered members comprising a compliant energy dissipating material that, when impacted, undergoes deformation to an extent that is greater than deformation, when impacted, of the deformation resistant material of the conforming protective base. An uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system includes a yoke configured to attach to or be integrated with shoulder pads or another garment and an attenuating cantilevered arch attached to the yoke at first and second emplacements, the attenuating cantilevered arch being configured to extend over a head of an individual wearing the shoulder pads or garment.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S.Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/521,202 filed on Nov. 8, 2021,PCT Application No. PCT/US2021/058448 filed on Nov. 8, 2021, which claimthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/110,815, filedon Nov. 6, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/132,700,filed on Dec. 31, 2020, the entireties of which are incorporated hereinby reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application describes an energy dissipating head protectivesystem consisting of protective headgear that includes a conformingprotective base that is supported on the head of a wearer, and asupported flexible suspended crown that is uncoupled from contact withthe wearer's underlying head surface area. More particularly, thepresent application describes dependent compliant cranial shieldssupported by a sub-cranial foundation for use in collision sports and/orother physical endeavors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, scrutiny of American football player safety hasintensified due to further elucidation that head impact exposures mayincrease risk of delayed neurologic and psychiatric dysfunction (NPD),including the neurodegenerative disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy(CTE). NPD and CTE symptoms include cognitive decline, impairedjudgment, diminished impulse control, aggression, depression, anxiety,degraded motor function, and progressive dementia. No consensus hasformed to define the aggregate football risk factors for chronic NPD andCTE due to study limitations and disparate findings; HOWEVER, it isuniversally accepted that advances in brain protection are essential forboth short- and long-term player safety.

A concussion is a form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that results whenmechanical force transmission to the brain causes overt acute symptoms.The sudden accelerative/decelerative forces transmitted by an externalimpact are thought to structurally strain the brain as it “jostles”within the skull. Such forces are transferred to the brain resulting indamage to the neuronal tissue. Stretching of the neurons occur inresponse to these forces as the brain and its surrounding cerebrospinalfluid move in a delayed fashion. Stretching of the neuronal axons willdisrupt their overall physiologic functioning and culminate inconcussion symptoms. A sub concussive event occurs when the transmittedmechanical energy injures neurons by a similar mechanism, but the impactintensity does not exceed the severity threshold to instigate thecellular damage that causes overt symptoms (a sub-concussivesub-clinical injury).

While acute concussions inherently receive the most attention from thegeneral public, the insidious, cumulative, sub-concussive repetitivehead impacts (RHI) may pose an equal or greater risk in the developmentof delayed NPD/CTE. Repetitive sub-concussive hits may also introduce anindependent mechanism for a concussion. Depending on the level ofcompetition and position played, helmet accelerometer studies havedemonstrated that football players may sustain 500 to 2,000 low-impactsub-concussive hits to the head during a typical football season.Investigators have diagnosed CTE in brains that have a history of RHIbut lack a known history of concussion.

Youth football participation has significantly declined in recent years,due in large part to parental safety concerns regarding potential headand/or brain injuries. Canada has banned full-team youth football,starting in 2022. Members of five (5) state legislatures within the U.S.have introduced bills to ban tackle football for young players, andpublic sentiment/initiatives to translate such efforts into law willgain momentum with accumulation of corroborating evidence that earlyfootball participation is associated with NPD/CTE. Pediatric head andbrain injuries related to sports is now firmly within the public healthdomain.

Innovation with respect to protective equipment for the head and brainin football has focused almost entirely on enhancement of the materialsand properties of the contemporary helmet. The basic design of themodern football helmet consists of a hard polycarbonate plastic externalshell, internal padding and cushioning, and an externally attached metalcaged facemask. Other than incremental improvements in materialsutilization, external shell strength/deformation properties, paddingintegrations, and overall aesthetics, this basic design has remainedessentially unchanged for over a half-century; however, during this sameperiod of time, players have become bigger, faster, and stronger, whichtranslates to a concomitant increase in potential supraphysiologicaldynamic force exposure on the field of play.

Contemporary plastic shell football helmets have markedly reduced skullfractures compared to their pre-1950 leather predecessors, but they haveoffered limited benefits for concussion prevention. One study actuallyconcluded that antiquated leather soft helmets provide the sameconcussive injury protection as modern helmets. Such a conclusion likelyconfirms that protective equipment applied as a single unit thatdirectly contacts the surface area of the head simply is incapable ofsufficiently attenuating the complex mechanical force transmissionresponsible for concussions. Most football head impacts are a complexcombination of linear and rotational accelerative mechanical forces,which may cause an intense transient torsional strain on the brain andworsen with secondary rebound from the more compliant helmet components(i.e., foam lining that compresses upon impact and rebounds). As statedpreviously, concussive events are likely only one of several factorsposing risks to long-term brain health in certain players, and theaccumulation of sub-concussive hits/RHI may present an equal or greaterrisk.

Football concussions have relatively decreased over the last severalyears (although there was an increase within the NFL during the 2019season), most likely due to a combination of modifications in practicemethods/culture, coaching, officiating emphasis, tackling technique, andrules; however, despite such efforts and helmet technology improvements,the potential for a concussion persists due to the inability toeliminate the complex accelerative and rotational forces inherent in thehigh frequency collision sport that is American football. Therefore,there is a vital need for a new paradigm and/or solution for a sportthat faces justifiable intensive scrutiny from a manifold cast of groupsto include safety advocates, politicians, researchers, parents, and theplayers themselves. A profound advance in head and brain protectioncombined with effective exposure safety guidelines derived fromhigh-quality research may provide a path to preserving football andother collision sports for younger players.

As noted above, in some instances, protective equipment appliedexclusively to the head simply is incapable of sufficiently attenuatingthe complex mechanical force transmission responsible for concussions.Furthermore, the hard-shell helmets with foam linings do not provideample dampening of the forces and may transfer greater forces to thebrain tissue.

The following corollary from that conclusion most likely also applies:Protective equipment applied exclusively to the head is incapable ofsufficiently attenuating and reducing the myriad of sub-concussive headimpacts sustained in football and other collision sports. Most footballhead impacts are a combination of complex linear and rotationalaccelerative mechanical forces, which may cause an intense transienttorsional strain on the brain and worsen with secondary rebound from themore compliant helmet components (i.e., foam lining that compresses uponimpact and rebounds). As stated previously, concussive events are likelyonly one of several factors posing risks to long-term brain health incertain players, and the accumulation of sub-concussive hits/RHI maypresent an equal or greater risk. Repetitive sub-concussive hits to theplayer's head and/or body resulting in a subthresholdacceleration/deceleration force event to the skull and brain, isanalogous to tissue fatigue. Tissue fatigue is due to long termrepetitive cyclic loading at subthreshold forces that if applied one totwo times to tissue may not induce short or long-term injury; however,if the subthreshold force is repetitively transferred to the tissue, thetissue will eventually suffer injury. In essence, where a single cycleof peak acceleration at threshold levels to tissue can cause injuryafter a single hit (i.e., concussions can occur at thresholds exceedingat least 65 g to 70 g forces in adult athlete measurements) (Broglio™),repetitive forces to the skull and brain can occur after a series ofrepetitive forces at sub-concussive or subthreshold levels. It is welldocumented that fatigue of human tissue occur at significantly lowervalues than the static ultimate strength of the tissue. Fatigue failuresin human tissue have been shown to occur at approximately 50-60% of thestatic ultimate failures through cadaveric testing. In essence, it willtake less force to induce injury to the brain and neural tissue withrepetitive loading (hits) to the head. There is an exponentialcorrelation between force magnitude and repetitive cycles.

While helmets ostensibly reduce impact intensity or the overall forcetransmission ultimately absorbed by the brain soft tissue itself, nocurrent head protective system offers a practical means to reduce RHIfrequency. Therefore, not only is added protection needed to supplementthe helmet protection, but there is a vital need for a new option and/orsolution for a sport that faces justifiable intensive scrutiny from amanifold cast of groups to include safety advocates, politicians,researchers, parents, and the players themselves.

Football concussions have relatively decreased over the last severalyears (although there was an increase within the NFL during the 2019season), most likely due to a combination of modifications in practicemethods/culture, coaching, officiating emphasis, tackling technique, andrules; however, despite such efforts and helmet technology improvements,the potential for a concussion persists due to the inability toeliminate the complex accelerative and rotational forces inherent in thehigh frequency collision sport that is American football. Principalamong the significant rules modifications implemented over the lastdecade is the penalty “targeting,” which, at the collegiate level,results in disqualification of a player initiating and engaging inhelmet-to-helmet contact. Despite best efforts by players, thehigh-speed dynamic nature and action of the game does not permitcomplete elimination of such helmet-to-helmet contacts, andunintentional/unavoidable head-to-head collisions are inevitable.

Protective headgear having one or more improvements in comparison to theprior art would be desirable in the art. In addition, there is a vitalneed for a new option and/or solution for a sport that faces justifiableintensive scrutiny from a manifold cast of groups to include safetyadvocates, politicians, researchers, parents, and the playersthemselves. Players would benefit from a more comprehensive headprotective system that decreases the probability and frequency ofunintentional (and intentional) direct helmet-to-helmet contacts. Aprofound advance in head and brain protection combined with effectiveexposure safety guidelines derived from high-quality research mayprovide a path to preserving football and other collision sports foryounger players.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment, the protective headgear includes an energy dissipativeassembly including a conforming protective base adapted to directlycontact and conform to a corresponding bony anatomical region of awearer's head, wherein the bony anatomical region is defined by frontal,left and right zygomatic, left and right temporal and occipital skullbones. The conforming protective base includes at least one rigidfrontal segment, rigid left and right side segments, and at least onerigid occipital segment, each segment including a deformation resistantmaterial. The conforming protective base supports the protectiveheadgear on the wearer's head when donned such that energy from animpact applied to a cantilevered portion of the at least onecantilevered member of the protective headgear crown arrangement isdissipated, at least partially, by deformation of the at least onecantilevered member, transmission through the at least one cantileveredmember to the conforming protective base, or a combination thereof.

The protective headgear may further include a fixator for locking orlocking and tensioning the conforming protective base when donned by thewearer.

The protective headgear further includes a supported flexible suspendedcrown having interior and exterior surfaces, an apex region, a frontalregion extending generally forwardly and downwardly from the apexregion, left and right side regions extending generally downwardly andlaterally from the apex region, and a rear region extending generallyrearwardly and downwardly from the apex region, the supported flexiblesuspended crown adapted to be affixed to the conforming protective basevia a fixation element, and configured to define a gap separatingsubstantially all of the interior surface of the supported flexiblesuspended crown from contact with a corresponding anatomical crownregion of the wearer when the protective headgear is donned by thewearer, wherein the anatomical crown region is defined by frontal,parietal, left and right sphenoid, left and right temporal, andoccipital skull bones, the supported flexible suspended crown includingat least one contoured flexible shell including a compliant energydissipating material that, when impacted, undergoes deformation to anextent that is greater than deformation, when impacted, of thedeformation resistant material of the conforming protective base.

In another embodiment, a protective headgear including a conformingprotective base adapted to directly contact and conform to acorresponding bony anatomical region of a wearer's head. The bonyanatomical region is defined by frontal, left and right zygomatic, leftand right temporal and occipital skull bones. A protective headgearcrown arrangement connected at one end to the conforming protectivebase, the protective headgear crown arrangement extending to at leastone cantilevered member; the at least one cantilevered member adapted todefine at least a portion of a crown corresponding to but separated by apredetermined distance from a corresponding anatomical crown region ofthe wearer when the protective headgear is donned by the wearer, whereinthe anatomical crown region is defined by frontal, parietal, left andright sphenoid, left and right temporal, and occipital skull bones.

In a further embodiment, a protective headgear includes a conformingprotective base adapted to directly contact and conform to acorresponding bony anatomical region of a wearer's head. The bonyanatomical region is defined by frontal, left and right zygomatic, leftand right temporal and occipital skull bones. A protective headgearcrown arrangement connected at one end to the conforming protectivebase, the protective headgear crown arrangement extending to a pluralityof cantilevered members; at least one of the plurality of cantileveredmembers forming the crown arrangement being complementarily contouredand spaced away by a predetermined distance from a correspondinganatomical crown region of the wearer when the protective headgear isdonned by the wearer. The anatomical crown region is defined by frontal,parietal, left and right sphenoid, left and right temporal, andoccipital skull bones.

In a further embodiment, a protective headgear includes one or acombination of: a harness system affixed to the conforming protectivebase and spaced away from the protective headgear crown arrangement, theharness system including at least one contoured band that contact thewearer's head when the protective headgear is donned; and at least oneintermediate head covering including one or both of a hard shell and acushion spaced away from the protective headgear crown arrangement, theat least one intermediate head covering protectively covering at least aportion of the anatomical crown region of the wearer when donned.

The disclosure also provides protective gear that is not affixed to thehead. In an exemplary embodiment, an uncoupled cantilevered posteriorcranial shield system includes a posterior securement housing 120connected to the posterior-superior aspect of athletic shoulder pads orintegrated with the athletic shoulder pads and a force attenuatingcantilevered arch 130 whose base is attached to the securement housing120 at a first emplacement and a second emplacement, the attenuatingcantilevered arch 130 being configured to extend over a head of anindividual wearing the athletic shoulder pads. The attenuatingcantilevered arch 130 is free of force communicating persistentconnection to a head of the individual other than indirectly through theathletic shoulder pads.

The uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system isessentially a segmentation/partitioning of a conventional helmet suchthat the central front, top, and rear of the helmet's externalprotective shell is connected to the upper back and/or shoulders. Thisuncoupling of the armament's exclusive attachment from the head toalternative anatomical regions intercepts and conducts forces directedat the head to much less vulnerable robust non-cranial musculoskeletalstructures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, theprinciples of the invention.

The figures present various views, according to various embodiments ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a human skull.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation view of a wearer's head donning anexemplary the conforming protective base.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of an exemplary protective headgeardonned on a wearer's head.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of an exemplary protective headgeardonned on a wearer's head.

FIG. 5A is a rear elevation view of the conforming protective base ofFIG. 2 shown with an exemplary fixator with a latch in an open,unengaged position and a closed, engaged position.

FIG. 5B is a rear elevation view of the conforming protective base ofFIG. 2 shown with an alternate exemplary fixator that is contiguous withthe conforming protective base and lacks an engagement feature.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of an exemplary protective headgeardonned on a wearer's head.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the protective headgear of FIG. 6subjected to an impact to a supported flexible suspended crown, anddissipation of said impact.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of an exemplary protective headgeardonned on a wearer's head.

FIG. 8A is a cross section taken along line 8-8 of the wearer's head andthe protective headgear of FIG. 8 .

FIG. 9A is a side elevation view of the protective headgear of FIG. 8subjected to an impact to a supported flexible suspended crown.

FIG. 9B is a cross section taken along line 9-9 of the wearer's head andthe protective headgear of FIG. 9 , as well as components of impactforces dissipated by the protective headgear.

FIG. 9C is a side elevation view of an alternate embodiment of theprotective headgear of FIG. 8 subjected to an impact to a supportedflexible suspended crown.

FIG. 9D is a cross section taken along line 9-9 of the wearer's head ofan alternate embodiment of the protective headgear of FIG. 9 , as wellas components of impact forces dissipated by the protective headgear.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of an exemplary protective headgeardonned on a wearer's head.

FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of an exemplary protective headgeardonned on a wearer's head.

FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of an exemplary component of anembodiment of protective headgear donned on a wearer's head.

FIG. 13A shows a first representative and non-limiting embodiment of asupport garment that may be selected for use in the uncoupledcantilevered posterior cranial shield system according to thedisclosure;

FIG. 13B shows a second representative and non-limiting embodiment of asupport garment that may be selected for use in the uncoupledcantilevered posterior cranial shield system according to thedisclosure;

FIG. 13C shows a third representative and non-limiting embodiment of asupport garment that may be selected for use in the uncoupledcantilevered posterior cranial shield system according to thedisclosure;

FIG. 13D shows a fourth representative and non-limiting embodiment of asupport garment that may be selected for use in the uncoupledcantilevered posterior cranial shield system according to thedisclosure;

FIG. 13E shows a fifth representative and non-limiting embodiment of asupport garment that may be selected for use in the uncoupledcantilevered posterior cranial shield system according to thedisclosure;

FIG. 14 shows a side view drawing of a first embodiment of the uncoupledcantilevered posterior cranial shield system, wherein the supportgarment is depicted as athletic shoulder pads;

FIG. 15 shows a front perspective view drawing of another embodiment ofthe uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system, wherein thesupport garment is depicted as athletic shoulder pads;

FIG. 16 shows a rear perspective view of the uncoupled cantileveredposterior cranial shield system shown in FIG. 15 ;

FIG. 17 shows a side view drawing of an yet another embodiment of theuncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system, wherein thedrawing includes a representative human figure and the support garmentis depicted as athletic shoulder pads;

FIG. 18 shows a drawing of a representative human figure in the“football position” with the embodiment of the uncoupled cantileveredposterior cranial shield system shown in FIG. 17 , wherein therepresentative human figure is shown with head/neck extended;

FIG. 19 shows a front perspective view drawing of the embodiment of theuncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 20 shows a rear perspective view drawing of the embodiment of theuncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 21 shows the side view drawing shown in FIG. 14 ;

FIG. 22 shows a side view drawing of a representative human figuredonned with a conventional football helmet and athletic shoulder pads;

FIG. 23 shows the side view drawing shown in FIG. 14 including theconventional football helmet as shown in FIG. 22 ;

FIG. 24 shows a drawing of an American football player in the “footballposition” as referenced and described herein;

FIG. 25 shows drawings of representative human figures in the “footballposition” the image on the left donned with a conventional footballhelmet and athletic shoulder pads as shown in FIG. 22 and the figure onthe right donned with the embodiment of the uncoupled cantileveredposterior cranial shield system shown in FIG. 14 , wherein eachrepresentative figure is shown with head/neck extended;

FIG. 26 shows a side view drawing with the embodiment of the uncoupledcantilevered posterior cranial shield system shown in FIG. 14 , whereinthe representative figure is shown with head/neck extended;

FIG. 27 shows a side view drawing as shown in FIG. 22 , wherein therepresentative figure is shown with head/neck extended;

FIG. 28 shows an alternate embodiment of the uncoupled cantileveredposterior cranial shield system shown in FIG. 14 further comprisinglateral and frontal visor shield attachments;

FIG. 29A shows representative human figures in the “football position”the image on the left donned with a conventional football helmet andathletic shoulder pads as shown in FIG. 22 and the figure on the rightdonned with the embodiment of the uncoupled cantilevered posteriorcranial shield system shown in FIG. 14 , wherein the figures are shownprior to impact;

FIG. 29B shows representative human figures in the “football position”the image on the left donned with a conventional football helmet andathletic shoulder pads as shown in FIG. 22 and the figure on the rightdonned with the embodiment of the uncoupled cantilevered posteriorcranial shield system shown in FIG. 14 , wherein the figures are showndemonstrating linear force direction of impact to the respective helmetand uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system; and

FIG. 29C shows representative human figures in the “football position”the image on the left donned with a conventional football helmet andathletic shoulder pads as shown in FIG. 22 and the figure on the rightdonned with the embodiment of the uncoupled cantilevered posteriorcranial shield system shown in FIG. 14 , wherein the figures are showndemonstrating linear force direction of impact to the respective helmetand uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system and effectiverotational force on the helmeted head on the left.

This disclosure describes exemplary embodiments in accordance with thegeneral inventive concepts and is not intended to limit the scope of theinvention in any way. Indeed, the invention as described in thespecification is broader than and unlimited by the exemplary embodimentsset forth herein, and the terms used herein have their full ordinarymeaning.

Key to Reference Numerals used in the Drawings, Table 1 (parentheticalnumbers represent related features, and numbers that are preceded by “F”represent examples of drawings that include the feature):

10 protective headgear F3 11 wearer F3 12 energy dissipative assembly 13foundation zone F2 14 the conforming protective base F3 15 fixationelement F8A 16 bony anatomical region 17 padding component 18 rigidfrontal segment (14) F3 20 rigid left side segment (14) F3 22 rigidright side segment (14) F3 24 rigid occipital segment (14) F3 26 fixator27 latch 28 supported flexible suspended crown (10) F3 30 interiorsurface (28) F3 32 exterior surface (28) F3 34 apex region (28) F3 36frontal region (28) F3 38 left side region (28) F3  38a left side regionportion (88) F11  38b left side region portion (88) F11 40 right sideregion (28) F5 42 rear region (28) F3 44 gap (28, 11) F3 46 anatomicalcrown region (11) F3 48 contoured flexible shell (28) F3 50discontinuity (14) F3 52 dissipator (14, 56) F4 56 (plurality of)contoured bands (28) F4 62 harness system (56) F4 66 open position (26)F5 68 closed position (26) F5 70 cantilevered members 71 break 72 impactF7 73 fixed end 74 dissipated force (72) F7 76 cantilevered end (36, 38,42) F8A 78 deflection zone (58) F7 80 local deformation F9A 82 chinstrap F4 84 fore guard F4 86 visor F4 88 protective headgear crownarrangement F9 89 central cantilevered member 90 protective headgearcrown arrangement F12 91 central posterior aspect 92 intermediate headcovering F12 94 conforming padded shell F12 95 flexible skin F8 96cushions (94) F12 100  uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shieldsystem 110  support garment 120  securement housing 122  securementextension 124  insertion elements 130  attenuating cantilevered arch132  anterior edge 134  frontal shield portion 136  parietal shieldportion 138  occipital/neck shield portion 142  visor shield, lateral144  visor shield, frontal

Generally, the same reference numbers will be used throughout thedrawings to represent the same parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The described embodiments and representative drawings are provided inthe context of protective gear for wear in the context of football orAmerican football. It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill inthe art that protective gear that is suitable for a sport or activityother than football may vary, and, thus, the protective gear, as shownvariously in the drawings, may be varied in shape and other features tobe more suitable for donning by a wearer other than an American footballplayer. Accordingly, the invention hereof contemplates embodiments thatare suited for providing protection to the head of a wearer foractivities and other sports, such that the described and exemplifiedembodiments are not intended to be limiting.

As used herein, the terms “wearer,” “wearer's head,” “head” and the likeare intended to be used interchangeably.

As shown in the figures and described herein, protective headgear, forexample, in the context of American football, helmets, utilize novelarrangements to dissipate impacts directed to the cranial vault in orderto reduce impact intensity. For example, as collectively shown in FIGS.1 and 2 , the paranasal sinuses of the maxillofacial skull have beendesignated the facial/head “crumple zone” with respect to facialtraumatic injuries (provide a cushioning effect) and have beenpostulated as a critical built-in anatomic safety measure formaxillofacial trauma, and protective of the brain. Extending posteriorly(rearwardly) are the contiguous mandible, mastoid process, and loweroccipital/high neck region. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2 , asupport zone 13 encompasses these anatomical regions. Support zone 13 isinferior or below the brain within an area that may be described as acranial vault as shown in FIG. 2 that houses the cerebral brain(supratentorial brain).

In the various embodiments, the features of the protective headgear 10are designed to direct force associated with impacts to the headgear toanatomical features that are below the brain, i.e., sub-cranial, and atleast in some embodiments, all or a portion of a lower edge of theportion of the headgear that covers a wearer's crown is sub-cranial, andin some specific and preferred embodiments, the portion of the headgearthat covers a wearer's crown is formed of cantilevered segments, each ofwhich is affixed to a generally rigid base portion that is donned andpositioned to be worn on the wearer below the brain. As furtherdescribed herein, in various embodiments, such rigid base portion isgenerally worn such that the majority of the base corresponds inposition with the “crumple zone” as described above and is thus belowthe brain with the exception of the frontal portion which will begenerally in line with the brain consistent with what is shown in thedrawings.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , a protective headgear 10, suchas a football helmet shown donned by a wearer 11, includes a conformingprotective base 14 adapted to directly contact and conform to acorresponding bony anatomical region 16 of the wearer's head or supportzone 13 (FIG. 2 ), in which the bony anatomical region 16 is defined byfrontal, left and right zygomatic, left and right temporal and occipitalskull bones, such as previously discussed in FIGS. 1 and 2 . In someembodiments, as depicted in drawings, for example FIG. 8A, FIG. 9A andFIG. 9C, the protective headgear 10 may include a padding component 17affixed or affixable to an interior surface of the conforming protectivebase 14, which padding component 17 contacts that wearer's head. Theconforming protective base 14 comprises at least one rigid frontalsegment 18, rigid left and right side segments 20, 22, and at least onerigid occipital segment 24, each segment comprising a deformationresistant material. The conforming protective base 14 serves as theoverall protective headgear foundation. In one embodiment, theconforming protective base may include a plurality of at least one rigidfrontal segment 18, rigid left and right side segments 20, 22, and atleast one rigid occipital segment 24, such as may be arranged byextending generally vertically relative to one another, such as shown inFIGS. 10 and 11 . As shown in FIG. 5A, the conforming protective base 14includes a fixator 26, such as a latch 27 or other engagement featuresfor locking or locking and tensioning corresponding portions of theconforming protective base 14 achieved by engaging correspondingengagement features to define the conforming protective base 14 in anengaged or closed position 68, wherein prior to such engagement, thecorresponding disengaged engagement features defining a disengaged oropen position 66. FIG. 5B shows an alternate embodiment of a conformingbase where the fixator is contiguous with the conforming protective baseand lacks an engagement feature.

In other embodiments, the confirming protective base 14 may not includea fixator whereby donning and securement on the head of the wearer isachieved without the need for any securement means. As further shown inFIG. 3 , the conforming protective base 14 is continuous. In oneembodiment, the conforming protective base 14 is one piece. In oneembodiment, the conforming protective base 14 is formed from a singlepiece of material. In one embodiment, the conforming protective base 14is formed from more than one piece of material that is secured together.In one embodiment, the conforming protective base 14 has at least onediscontinuity 50 formed therein, such as a slit, groove, opening,protrusion, indentation or other feature formed therein. In oneembodiment, at least one discontinuity 50 extends only partially throughthe conforming protective base 14. In one embodiment, at least onediscontinuity 50 extends entirely through the conforming protective base14. In one embodiment, at least one discontinuity 50 separates facingadjacent portions of the conforming protective base 14 from one another.In one embodiment, one or more discontinuity(ies) 50 may be positionedanywhere on or in the conforming protective base 14. According to suchembodiments, the conforming protective base 14 may be donned and doffedby removal over a wearer's head from the front or possibly the rear ofthe wearer's head, depending on whether the discontinuity 50 is locatedat the back, the front or a side of the confirming protective base 14.Of course, it will be appreciated that in some embodiments, such asshown in FIG. 5B, the conforming protective base 14 does not have anydiscontinuities and though it generally conforms to the anatomicalfeatures of a wearer's skull it does not fit snugly and is capable ofbeing donned directly over the wearer's head without any fixation orother locking or latching mechanism. In yet other embodiments, theconforming protective base 14 may be retained on a wearer's head byattachment to a harness system 62, such as further described herein.

In some embodiments, as further shown in FIG. 3 , protective headgear 10includes a supported flexible suspended crown 28 having interior andexterior surfaces 30, 32, an apex region 34, a frontal region 36extending generally forwardly and downwardly from the apex region 34, aleft side region 38 and a right side region 40 (FIG. 5A) each extendinggenerally downwardly and laterally from the apex region 34, and a rearregion 42 extending generally rearwardly and downwardly from the apexregion 34. The supported flexible suspended crown 28 is adapted to beaffixed to the conforming protective base 14 via a fixation element 15such as by corresponding engagement features such as connectionsselected from a channel within or on a front or back surface andoriented along all or a portion of a length of the conforming protectivebase 14, or secured by flange/s or other suitable means involving rigidconnecting members directly engaging one another, or intermediatecomponents/connectors that directly or indirectly fix the portionstogether, or combinations thereof, for an engagement that may beflexible, elastomeric, capable of crushing, sliding, collapsing,flexing, such engagement features may be formed of the same or differentmaterials that vary in one or more of thickness, etc. That is, theengagement features associated with the supported flexible suspendedcrown may be flexible, elastomeric, capable of crushing, sliding,collapsing, flexing, and engagement features associated with theconforming protective base may be connected to facilitate relativemovement in one or more planes—slidable, countersinking/reciprocating,or vice versa or combination thereof. In some embodiments, the supportedflexible suspended crown 28 is affixed to the conforming protective base14 via a fixation element 15 in a manner that is rigid so that a portionof the supported flexible suspended crown 28 that is contacted by aforce deforms and bows at least at the point of contact to therebydirect the energy from the impact thorough the contacted portion of thesupported flexible suspended crown 28 and into the conforming protectivebase 14. For example, as describe herein, flexion/bowing of acantilevered member 70 directs force into the conforming protective base14. In other possible embodiments, at least a portion of a supportedflexible suspended crown 28 is affixed to the conforming protective base14 via a fixation element 15 in a manner that permits reciprocation ofthe supported flexible suspended crown 28 relative to the conformingprotective base 14 in response to an impact, the reciprocation achievedby operation of flexible dissipators or within a channel or flange thatretains the supported flexible suspended crown 28 relative to theconforming protective base 14.

In other embodiments comprising a conforming protective base 14 and asupported flexible suspended crown 28, the conforming protective base 14and supported flexible suspended crown 28 may be separate and affixabletogether and may, thus, be adapted to be independently donned insequence by a wearer 11, the sequence including donning the conformingprotective base 14 followed by donning the supported flexible suspendedcrown 28, each of the conforming protective base 14 and supportedflexible suspended crown 28 comprising corresponding engagementfeatures, such as previously discussed. In other embodiments, theconforming protective base 14 and supported flexible suspended crown 28are affixed together and adapted to be donned as a unitary structure bya wearer 11. In different embodiments, the conforming protective base 14and supported flexible suspended crown 28 may be formed of differentmaterials, or the same material; may be unitary/monolithic (i.e., madeof same material that is manipulated differently to have differentresponse to impact) or assembled and made of same or different material.

In some embodiments, an energy dissipative assembly 12 comprises atleast the combination of the conforming protective base 14 and asupported flexible suspended crown 28.

As further shown in FIG. 3 , supported flexible suspended crown 28 andwearer 11 are configured to define a gap 44 separating substantially allof the interior surface 30 of the supported flexible suspended crown 28from contact with a corresponding anatomical crown region 46 of thewearer 11 when the protective headgear 10 is donned by the wearer 11,wherein the anatomical crown region 46 is defined by frontal, parietal,left and right sphenoid, left and right temporal, and occipital skullbones, such as previously discussed and shown in FIG. 1 . As furthershown in FIG. 3 , supported flexible suspended crown 14 comprises atleast one contoured flexible shell 48 (FIG. 1 shows a single flexibleshell) comprising a compliant energy dissipating material that, whenimpacted, undergoes deformation to an extent that is greater thandeformation, when impacted, of the deformation resistant material of theconforming protective base.

As further shown in FIG. 3 , the conforming protective base 14 supportsthe protective headgear on the wearer's head 11, when donned, such thatenergy from an impact to the supported flexible suspended crown 28 isdissipated, at least partially, by deformation of the contoured flexibleshell 48 of the supported flexible suspended crown 28, transmissionthrough the contoured flexible shell 48 to the conforming protectivebase 14, or a combination thereof.

In one embodiment, the contoured flexible shell 48 of the supportedflexible suspended crown 28 is one piece, such as shown in FIG. 3 .

As shown in FIG. 4 , supported flexible suspended crown 28 comprises aplurality of contoured bands 56. In one embodiment, at least onecontoured band 56 moves independently of another contoured band 56. Inone embodiment, at least one contoured band 56 is secured to anothercontoured band 56. As further shown in FIG. 4 , optionally, at least oneregion affixing supported flexible suspended crown 28 to the conformingprotective base 14 includes a dissipator 52, such as a resilient deviceacting as a shock absorber such as a spring/coil system, elasticmaterial, similar force dissipating mechanism, or a combination thereof.The contoured bands 56 define a harness system 62 affixed to theconforming protective base 14, the harness system 62 comprising at leastone contoured band 56 that contacts the wearer's head 11 when theprotective headgear is donned. In some embodiments, the at least onecontoured band 56 has elastic/elastomeric properties that allow theaffixed the conforming protective base 14 to spring downward when animpact force is received by the protective headgear 10 to dissipateforce. In some alternate embodiments, the at least one contoured band 56is generally inflexible (i.e., is not elastomeric or flexiblydeformable) and includes one or more dissipaters 52 that are elasticallydeformable and affix the at least one contoured band 56 that is flexibleto the conforming protective base 14.

In other possible embodiments, it will be appreciated that alternatemeans of fixation may be employed. For example, a harness that includesbands, wherein one or more bands may be provided that tighten from frontto back similar to a bike helmet suspension system, that suspends theconforming protective base 14 from bony structures along the path of theconformal band.

As further shown in FIG. 4 , optionally, protective headgear 10 mayinclude one or more of a chin strap 82, face guard 84, and visor 86.

As shown in FIG. 6 , in a first embodiment wherein the supportedflexible suspended crown 28 is configured as a unitary part, thesupported flexible suspended crown 28 comprises a unitary contouredflexible shell 48 that is secured or affixed at least discontinuously orcontinuously around its periphery to the conforming protective base 14,and is capable of one or both of deformation or reciprocation relativeto the conforming protective base 14 to deflect and dissipate impactenergy in contrast to the generally rigid and inflexible hard shellstypically found on protective headgear outer surfaces. In otherembodiments, as described in connection with FIG. 8 -FIG. 11 , thesupported flexible suspended crown 28 is formed of a plurality of partshaving one or more “breaks” formed between them to enable independentflexion and which form a supported flexible suspended crown 28 havingone or more breaks or discontinuities.

Referring again to FIG. 6 , the contoured flexible shell 48, in responseto an impact 72 defining a linear force applied in a direction to thecranial skull that houses the brain and corresponding to deflection zone(FIG. 7 ), this direct linear force that the protective headgearreceives are now diverted/conducted (e.g., dissipated forces 74) to theconforming protective base 14 that is in direct contact with bonyanatomical region 16 that is defined by frontal, left and rightzygomatic, left and right temporal and occipital skull bones, such aspreviously discussed in FIGS. 1 and 2 . Directing dissipated forces 74to be transmitted through the conforming protective base 14 alonganatomical region 16 is anatomically inherently morefavorable/protective compared to impact 72 being directly provided tothe cranial skull that houses the brain, as such dissipated forces 74will be better mitigated by avoiding direct force transmission to thebrain soft tissues.

In an alternate and preferred embodiment, as exemplified in FIG. 8 -FIG.11 , the supported flexible suspended crown 28 is formed of a pluralityof cantilevered members 70 having one or more breaks 71 formed betweenthem to enable independent flexion of each cantilevered member 70 andwhich form a supported flexible suspended crown 28. Each cantileveredmember 70 includes a cantilevered end 76 which is not affixed to theconforming protective base 14 and is thus capable of flexion. Accordingto such embodiments each cantilevered member 70 is capable of one orboth of deformation or reciprocation relative to the conformingprotective base 14 to deflect and dissipate impact energy in contrast tothe generally rigid and inflexible hard shells typically found onprotective headgear outer surfaces. Each of such cantilevered member 70may be connected by or within a flexible membrane or flexible skin 95that forms an overall continuous supported flexible suspended crown 28,wherein in some such embodiments, there may be two or more cantileveredmember 70 that may be fully overlapping, partially overlapping, ornon-overlapping or a combination thereof, all as further describedherein. It will be appreciated that the flexible skin 95 need not bepresent in all embodiments. Generally, each cantilevered member 70 isformed of a material that enables it to flex and bend by generallyelastic/elastomeric deformation, wherein a cantilevered member 70 isoriented to flex from its fixed end 73 at the conforming protective base14 to its cantilevered end 76 that extends toward the apex region 34 ofthe supported flexible suspended crown 28, wherein at least in someembodiments, one or more of the cantilevered members 70 has a fixed end73 that is positioned sub-cranial and wherein according to suchembodiments that comprise a plurality of cantilevered members 70, forexample as shown in FIG. 8 , the cantilevered end 76 of each of thecantilevered members 70 converges toward the apex region 34.

In some embodiments, one or more of each cantilevered member 70 may beadapted to be affixed to the conforming protective base 14 via afixation element 15, such as by corresponding engagement features suchas connections selected from a channel within or on a front or backsurface and oriented along all or a portion of a length of theconforming protective base 14, or secured by one or more flanges orother suitable means involving rigid connecting members directlyengaging one another, or intermediate components/connectors such asrivets, permanent or releasable adhesive coatings or layers, orcombinations thereof that directly or indirectly fix the conformingprotective base 14 and a cantilevered member 70 together. In variousembodiments, fixation between the conforming protective base 14 and acantilevered member 70 may be accomplished by a fixation element 15 thatpermits engagement that may be flexible, elastomeric, capable ofcrushing, sliding, collapsing, or flexing, and may comprise one or morefixation elements 15 formed of the same or different materials ascompared to the materials of either of the conforming protective base 14and a cantilevered member 70 wherein the materials may vary in one ormore of thickness, durometer, material type for example plastic,elastomeric or rubber material, metal, or combinations thereof. That is,the engagement features comprising one or more fixation elements 15associated with a cantilevered member 70 may be flexible, elastomeric,capable of crushing, sliding, collapsing, flexing, and engagementfeatures associated with the conforming protective base 14 may beconnected to facilitate relative movement in one or moreplanes—slidable, countersinking/reciprocating, or vice versa orcombination thereof. In some embodiments, a cantilevered member 70 isaffixed to the conforming protective base 14 via a fixation element 15in a manner that is rigid so that a portion of a cantilevered member 70that is contacted by a force deforms and bows at least at the point ofcontact to thereby direct the energy from the impact thorough thecontacted portion of the cantilevered member 70 and into the conformingprotective base 14. These described means of fixation to the conformingprotective base 14 are generally applicable both to the supportedflexible suspended crown 28 and to any one or more cantilevered members70, or combinations thereof.

Referring again to the drawings, as shown collectively in FIGS. 8, 8A,supported flexible suspended crown 28, which includes a plurality ofcantilevered members 70 each of them designated as separated frontalregion 36, left side region 38, and rear region 42. In this embodiment,the cantilevered member 70 forming the frontal region 36, left sideregion 38, and rear region 42 are each secured or affixed at one end viaa fixation element 15 to the conforming protective base 14. As furthershown in FIG. 8A, which is a cross section taken along line 8-8 of FIG.8 , the cantilevered member 70 left side region 38 extends from theconforming protective base 14 to a cantilevered end 76, there being agap 44 separating interior surface 30 of the cantilevered member 70 atleft side region 38 (gap 44 also separating frontal region 36 and rearregion 42 not shown in FIG. 8A). As shown in FIG. 8 , each of thecantilevered member 70 of the frontal region 36, left side region 38,and rear region 42 which are each secured or affixed at one end via afixation element 15 to the conforming protective base 14 and extendsfrom the conforming protective base 14 to a respective cantilevered end76.

Referring now to FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B, in response to being subjected toimpact 72 that is within the dissipation performance specifications ofthe protective headgear 10, although there is at least local deformationof cantilevered end 76 of the cantilevered member 70 of the left sideregion 38 directing cantilevered end 76 toward wearer's head 11 and thedistance between wearer's head 11 and the interior surface 30 of leftside region 38 is reduced from that of gap 44 in an unstressedcondition, at least a portion of the gap 44 is maintained to avoiddirect contact and associated trauma between the wearer's head and theinterior surface of left side region 38 (or any other region) subjectedto an impact.

Referring now to FIG. 9C and FIG. 9D, in an alternate embodiment of theprotective headgear 10 shown in FIGS. 8-9B, wherein the supportedflexible suspended crown 28 includes cantilevered members 70 thatoverlap with at least one other cantilevered member 70, shown in thefigure as central cantilevered member 89. As shown, central cantileveredmember 89 is affixed via a fixation element 15 to a central posterioraspect 91 of the conforming protective base 14 and is designed tooverlap with and cooperate with the frontal and lateral members 36, 38and 42 to direct impact energy towards the central posterior aspect 91of the conforming protective base 14. This central cantilevered member89 serves as shielding protection of the midline and apex of the craniumof the wearer, as well as providing supplementary protection due to itsengagement with the central posterior aspect 91 of the conformingprotective base 14 when the frontal and lateral members 36, 38 and 42deform after an impact.

As shown in FIGS. 10-11 , the protective headgear crown arrangement 88is modular, offering the flexibility to customize the configuration ofthe regions, as needed, to optionally include larger or smallercantilevered members 70. For example, in FIG. 10 , left side region 38is shown to include a single member secured to the conforming protectivebase 14 having a first size that is relatively greater than the size ofthe cantilevered members 70 of left side region comprising 38 a, 38 b.In one embodiment, at least one or more of the frontal region 36, leftside regions 38, right side regions 40, and a rear region 42 may bearranged in smaller subregions or combined in any combination into alarger region as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 12 , an embodiment of protective gear is shown thatincludes the conforming protective base 14 absent the supported flexiblesuspended crown 28 and depicting an intermediate head covering 92 in theform of a conforming padded shell 94 extending over the wearer'sanatomical crown region that may be donned separately or may be affixedvia a fixation element 15 to the conforming protective base 14 along theperiphery of the conforming padded shell 94. A plurality of cushions 96extend outwardly from conforming padded shell 92 the placement, size andother features thereof selected to provide supplemental protection to awearer's head for example to protect the wearer from contact withdeforming components of the supported flexible suspended crown 28.Conforming padded shell 94 is in contact with a wearer's head whendonned. This arrangement lacks a rigid helmet supported flexiblesuspended crown that is found on convention helmets and which isreplaced by a supported flexible suspended crown 28 according to thedisclosure, thereby offering the protection of padding directly on thehead while taking advantage of the properties of the unitary and inparticular the cantilevered segment embodiments of the supportedflexible suspended crown 28 as described herein, thus also savingweight, and being more streamlined.

Uncoupled Cantilevered Posterior Cranial Shield

The present application also provides an uncoupled cantileveredposterior cranial shield that is not mounted to the head of the user.More particularly, the present application provides an uncoupledcantilevered posterior cranial shield system for use in collision sportsand other endeavors requiring head protection which attenuates collisionforces, either providing the primary protection, or augmenting andsupplementing the protection offered by a helmet.

An uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system is disclosedincluding a yoke configured to attach to or be integrated with shoulderpads and an attenuating cantilevered arch attached to the yoke at firstand second emplacements, the attenuating cantilevered arch beingconfigured to extend over a head of an individual wearing the shoulderpads. The attenuating cantilevered arch is free of force communicatingpersistent connection to a head of the individual other than indirectlythrough the shoulder pads. Another floating lateral-vertical cranialshield is disclosed including an emplacement configured to attach to orbe integrated with a helmet at a rearmost quarter of the helmet and atleast one cantilever arc attached to the emplacement, the at least onecantilever arc being configured to extend toward the front of the helmetfrom the emplacement. The at least one cantilever arc is free of forcecommunicating persistent connection to the helmet other than through theemplacement.

The uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system is providedfor use in athletic endeavors requiring head protection, particularlywhere concussive and subconcussive repetitive head impacts are aconcern. The system described herein offers a novel approach and anoverall paradigm shift for head protection in football and other sports.As compared with current technology, the system according to thisdisclosure is designed to better protect the brain from the sub-clinicalyet deleterious lower impact subconcussive hits and reduce the severityand intensity of certain higher impact collisions of the head region,while also conferring increased protection to the neck and spine.

The uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system furtherdescribed herein can be further designated Helmet Auxiliary ArmamentLocated Overhead (HAALO). The HAALO generally provides the structuralfeatures of a conventional head protector, such as a conventionalfootball helmet, except that the sectioned crown/parietal/occipitalhelmet external shell component that has independent and uncoupledconnectivity to the upper back/shoulder region rather than to the headof the wearer.

As stated previously, in the backdrop of emerging research thatestablishes long-term accumulation of subconcussive repetitive headimpacts as a risk factor for delayed adverse neurologic and/orpsychiatric consequences in susceptible individuals, the development andcultivation of a more comprehensive head and brain protective system tomitigate and reduce subconcussive repetitive head impacts is imperativefor long-term player safety and football sustainability/viability. Sucha goal can be achieved by either fundamentally altering the establishedphysical nature of football through radical rules changes (or simplyeliminating the game), or fundamentally improving the protectiveequipment primarily responsible for protecting the head. This systemaims to achieve a radical reduction in impacts to the head by providinga novel impact energy system that alters the paradigm of head protectionfor football and other sports by providing diversion, deflection,dissipation, distribution, and decreased friction of impact energy.

The primary advantage of the uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranialshield system is diversion/deflection of the initial force directed atthe head and neck to much less vulnerable and robust musculoskeletalstructures. For linebackers, running backs and linemen, the vastmajority of hits and contacts are initiated with the head in arelatively neutral (face forward) position relative to the torso. Skillposition players' heads deviate from the neutral position by way of neckrotation much more frequently in order to dynamically locate thefootball, such as a wide receiver turning his head back to find the ballin the air to make a catch. The extremes of head and neck rotation,extension, and flexion are also required of defensive backs. Necklateral bending (bending side-to-side) is not a common occurrence when apatient engages in contact, as the head and neck naturally assume aneutral and extended position prior and during physical engagement.Offensive and defensive skill position players require increased headrange of motion, and thus less restriction from primary integratedprotective equipment. As level of play progresses to advanced and elitefootball, players may customize their uncoupled cantilevered posteriorcranial shield system to achieve a proper position specific balancebetween helmet range of motion and enhanced safety. In other words,cornerbacks and offensive lineman sustain different degrees ofsubconcussive repetitive head impacts, and also require different headranges of motion for routine play demanded by their position.

According to the foregoing, provided herein is a modular system forprotecting the head of a wearer from concussive injuries wherein thesystem is not applied to or donned by the wearer on the head. Thismodular system, as compared with conventional helmets, uncouplesstructural protective armament from the more vulnerable head and neck toless vulnerable anatomic regions of the torso to confer protection toboth the face and head independent of an exclusive connection to thehead. The primary benefits of such a structural uncoupling arediversion, deflection, dissipation, and distribution of the initialforce directed at the head, neck, and spine to either much lessvulnerable and robust musculoskeletal structures (chest and upperback/shoulders), or less vulnerable areas of the head/face. Employingthis modular system, the head is no longer the primary and exclusivereception point for every force directed above the shoulders duringplay.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 , for example, showrepresentative embodiments of the uncoupled cantilevered posteriorcranial shield system 100 according to the disclosure. In someembodiments, the uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system100 is principally connected at the upper back region to a supportgarment 110 (shown in an embodiment that is in the form of athleticshoulder pads) or integrated with the support garment. In the depictedembodiments, the support garment 110 is represented as athletic shoulderpads. It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that asupport garment that is suitable for a sport may vary, and thus asrepresented in FIG. 13A-13E, the support garment may be in the form of aharness (FIG. 13A) formed of one or more interconnected straps, such asfor climbing, construction and other activities, or a chest protector(FIG. 13B), such as for hockey and other ice sports, or a fitted vest(FIG. 13C), such as for equestrian sports, or of a form fitting shirt(FIG. 13E) or a partial or whole body suit (FIG. 13D), such as for motorsports or skiing, or in the form of athletic shoulder pads, as shownvariously in the drawings, or another garment or fitted wearable articlethat is suitable for donning by a wearer to securely attach an assemblythat includes the uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield.Accordingly, though the instant disclosure represents the supportgarment 110 as athletic shoulder pads for football, the embodiment isnot intended to be limiting.

Referring again to the drawings, FIG. 14 shows an uncoupled cantileveredposterior cranial shield system 100 that includes a securement housing120 connected to a support garment 110, and an attenuating cantileveredarch 130 attached to the securement housing 120, wherein the attenuatingcantilevered arch 130 is configured to extend over a head of anindividual wearing the support garment and the attenuating cantileveredarch 130 is free of force communicating persistent connection to a headof the wearer other than indirectly through the body of the wearer viasupport garment, for example, athletic shoulder pads. That is, theattenuating cantilevered arch 130 is not affixed to a wearer's head andis designed to generally not contact a wearer's head except in the eventof extreme compression of the attenuating cantilevered arch 130 towardthe head as further described herein. As used herein, “forcecommunicating persistent connection” indicates a connection that ispersistent and is capable of communicating force in its persistentstate. By way of example for illustrative purposes, a slack line orchain would not be considered force communicating in its persistentstate, even if the slack line or chain were capable of being tensionedas a result of intermittent stimuli; however, a tensioned line or chainwould be considered force communicating in its persistent state, even ifthe tensioned line or chain were capable of becoming slack as a resultof intermittent stimuli.

The securement housing 120 may be composed of any suitable material,including, but not limited to, polycarbonates, carbon fiber reinforcedpolymers, carbon fiber alloys, titanium, aramids, poly-praraphenyleneterephthalamide, or combinations thereof. The securement housing 120 maybe configured to be integrated with or attached to an upper back portionof the support garment 110. It may have force dissipating (shockabsorbing) properties and translate upon contact in order to minimizeany adverse influence upon the shoulder pad function.

The attenuating cantilevered arch 130 may be composed of any suitablematerial, including, but not limited to, polycarbonates, carbon fiberreinforced polymers, carbon steels, stainless steels, spring steels,carbon fiber alloys, titanium, aramids, poly-praraphenyleneterephthalamide, composite materials, or combinations thereof.

The attenuating cantilevered arch 130 may include one or more visorshields 140, including, for example, one or both of lateral visor shield142 and frontal visor shield 144 components, attached to the attenuatingcantilevered arch 130. A visor shield 140 may be flat or curveddepending on the size, shape, and position. A visor shield 140 may beformed from any suitable material, including, but not limited to,translucent materials such as polycarbonate plastic. A visor shield 140may further be coated to enhance low friction qualities in order tooptimize contact mechanics during helmet-to-helmet engagements.

Referring again to FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 , the attenuating cantileveredarch 130 is configured to extend toward the front of the wearer's headfrom its attachment point at the securement housing 120 and has a widthdimension and a length dimension that may vary along its length toprovide a shield that protects the brain case of a wearer's skull alonga center line from at least the base of the skull to the frontal portionof the skull. The securement housing 120 is affixed to the supportgarment 110 to enable direction of impact force to the attenuatingcantilevered arch 130 through the securement housing 120 fordistribution and dissipation along the support garment 110 and the bodyof the wearer.

Referring again to FIG. 14 , an attenuating cantilevered arch 130 ischaracterized as having three segments, including a frontal shieldportion 134 that terminates in an anterior edge 132, a parietal shieldportion 136 and an occipital/neck shield portion 138. As shown in FIG.14 -FIG. 16 , the attenuating cantilevered arch 130 has an arched shapewith an interior surface that is concave and designed to generallyfollow the contour of a human skull, though the attenuating cantileveredarch 130 is not intended to contact a wearer's head. The portions of theattenuating cantilevered arch 130 that include the frontal shieldportion 134 and at least the parietal shield portion 136 have agenerally spherical contour to the interior concavity. In someembodiments, the interior surface of the occipital/neck shield portion138 may be concave in shape (as shown in the embodiment shown in FIG. 14), with a generally spherical contour that may have a radius that is thesame as or different than the radius of the interior surface of thefrontal shield portion 134 and the parietal shield portion 136. In someother embodiments, the interior surface of the occipital/neck shieldportion 138 may be generally rectilinear (as shown in the embodimentshown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 ).

Referring again to the drawings, FIG. 17 -FIG. 20 show alternate viewsof another embodiment of an attenuating cantilevered arch 130 accordingto the disclosure. This embodiment includes a frontal shield portion 134that terminates in an anterior edge 132, a parietal shield portion 136and an occipital/neck shield portion 138, wherein each of the portionshas a wider profile as compared with the embodiments shown in FIG. 14-FIG. 16 . In the depicted embodiment, the frontal shield portion 134and parietal shield portion 136 have a contoured shape that is similarto the shape of a conventional type of helmet and extend laterally tocover additional surface area of a wearer's head. It will be appreciatedby one of skill in the art that the various embodiments of theattenuating cantilevered arch 130 may have any of a variety of shapes inone or more of the frontal shield portion 134, a parietal shield portion136 and occipital/neck shield portion 138 and may cover greater orlesser portions of a wearer's skull. In such embodiments, the overallcontour of the attenuating cantilevered arch 130 is designed to providecoverage suited to provide a receiving surface for receiving impact anddirecting force into the wearer's body and away from the head and neckwithout restricting the wearer's ability to swivel/turn their headwithin the apparatus.

Referring again to FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 , the depicted embodiment of theuncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system 100 includes asecurement extension 122 to the securement housing 120, the securementextension 122 having an elongate generally “U” shape that includes apair of insertion elements 124 which are secured to the securementextension 122. In some embodiments, the securement extension 122 aloneor together with its pair of insertion elements 124 may be unitary withthe securement housing 120, or the securement extension 122 and its pairof insertion elements 124 may be modular and comprise one or more partsthat are connectable with the securement housing 120. For example, theinsertion elements 124 of the securement extension 122 may be slidablyinsertable within the securement housing 120 along correspondingreceiving channels or tracks within the securement hosing 120 to provideadjustable or slidable sizing in the height dimensions of theattenuating cantilevered arch 130 to fit a wearer.

In some embodiments, the securement housing 120 comprises one or more offorce dampening structures and force dampening materials to furtherenhance the distribution and dissipation of impact force through thesupport garment 110 and the body of the wearer. Additional forcedampening structures which may be utilized within the securement housing120 or at the attachment interface between the securement housing 120and the attenuating cantilevered arch 130 include, but are not limitedto, force dissipating spacers, shock absorbing tracks, hinged springshock absorbing connectors, torsional spring shock absorbing connectors,or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the attenuating cantileveredarch 130 is attached to the securement housing 120 through one or moresprings arranged and disposed to dampen collision force received by theattenuating cantilevered arch 130. In some particular embodiments,components of the securement housing 120 may be formed with forcedampening materials such as, but not limited to, synthetic viscoelasticurethane polymers (such as SORBOTHANE, manufactured by Sorbothane, Inc.in Kent, Ohio).

Referring now to FIG. 21 and FIG. 22 , the drawings show the relativeassociation of the attenuating cantilevered arch 130 as compared with aconventional helmet. As shown in FIG. 21 , the attenuating cantileveredarch 130 covers only a portion of the wearer's head, and there is a gapbetween the body of the attenuating cantilevered arch 130 and thewearer's head. Thus, as donned when the wearer is in a generally uprightposition, the front of the wearer's skull is not covered by the anteriorend 132 of the frontal shield portion 134 of the attenuatingcantilevered arch 130. It will be appreciated that when in use, theuncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system 100 may be donnedtogether with a conventional helmet to provide additional protection, inparticular in the event of direct compressive force to the attenuatingcantilevered arch 130 of the uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranialshield system 100. FIG. 23 shows an image of a human form wearing aconventional helmet together with the attenuating cantilevered arch 130.It should be appreciated that the overall shape and size of aconventional helmet significantly extends the profile of a wearer's headsuch that an attenuating cantilevered arch 130 must be sized in a mannerthat is much larger than is required when donned in the absence of aconventional helmet. It will be appreciated that there are benefits tobe derived from wearing a padded and rigid helmet with an attenuatingcantilevered arch 130 to provide supplemental protection in the eventthat the frontal shield portion 134 of the attenuating cantilevered arch130 contacts a wearer's head on impact. In other embodiments, astreamlined helmet may be employed that includes close conformingpadding elements without the bulky hard shell frame of a conventionalhelmet. It should be noted that whether with or without a supplementalhead protector, such as a helmet or low profile helmet, the height ofthe uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system 100 can beset without any obstruction of head movement, accommodating completehead range of motion. As further described herein, the uncoupledcantilevered posterior cranial shield system 100 is adapted to “deploy”into a position to provide maximal protection to a wearer when theirhead/neck is flexed and when they are in the “football position” toprovide protection to the cranium and crown. Since there is no effectivelengthening of the wearer's neck, the uncoupled cantilevered posteriorcranial shield system 100, once donned to be free of contact with thewearer's head, need not be adjusted in hits overall height along theaxis of the wearer's spine.

Referring again to the drawings, FIG. 24 shows an image of an Americanfootball player in the “football position.” Reference to the “footballposition” describes the position that is most typically assumed by anAmerican football player. It should be generally understood thatAmerican football is not played standing up (except for the quarterbackposition). Rather, American football is played in a generally crouchedposition wherein the player's head and neck are extended, the player isflexing/bending at the waist, and their knees are flexed. It is in thisfootball position that almost 90% of football is played and it is thebody position from which force contact is almost exclusively receivedand/or delivered, most typically to the upper torso and head. Theinventor hereof has realized that conventional head gear, as addressedherein above, does not provide energy dissipative force away from theplayer's head and neck. Indeed, while a player is in the footballposition, conventional head gear is affixed in a generally static mannerand any impact to the head gear necessarily results in direct travel offorce to the player's head and neck and motion induced in the head gearis translated to the player's head and neck.

The inventive system, which includes the novel attenuating cantileveredarch 130 adjusts its position as the player's position changes.Referring again to the drawings, for example, FIG. 21 , shows that theattenuating cantilevered arch 130 generally extends over all or at leasta portion of the wearer's crown, when the player is in a neutralposition with the neck neutral (neither flexed nor extended). Andreferring to FIG. 25 , right side image, the attenuating cantileveredarch 130 deploys to cover the player's crown and frontal cranium whenthe player assumes the football position. Additional illustrative viewsshowing the relative protection provided by the attenuating cantileveredarch 130 as compared with a conventional helmet are shown in FIG. 16-FIG. 28 . Referring again to FIG. 25 , it should be appreciated thatwhen the player's head is extended while wearing a conventional helmet(left) the rear of the helmet hits and interferes with the player'sback. In contrast, the uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shieldsystem 100 is deployed to provide more coverage of the head when thebody assumes the football position, conferring protection of thecritical frontal and crown regions of the head relative to thestanding-up non-playing position. Head and neck lateral flexion(bending) and rotation (full head range of motion) are permitted withthe HAALO, and deleterious rotational and angular forces are reduced atthe level of the brain due to force conduction and dissipation by theHAALO into the shoulders/upper back. This concept is illustrated in eachof panels A-C in FIG. 29 . Additionally, there is better stabilizationof the cervical spine due to this force diversion. The focus of directlinear head impacts is redirected, transforming the focal intensity ofan impact ‘below the brain’ to the connection at the low rear helmet.Without being bound by theory, it is believed that this embodimentattenuates direct impact forces and converts them to a more manageablelower intensity angular force directed away from or below the brain, andtemporally permitting the neck musculature to offer improved headstabilization for force mitigation.

In accordance with the various embodiments, disclosure provides:

An uncoupled cantilevered posterior cranial shield system, comprising:

-   -   a support garment,    -   a securement housing attached to the support garment; and    -   an attenuating cantilevered arch attached to the securement        housing.        In some embodiments of the uncoupled cantilevered posterior        cranial shield system, the yoke is composed of a material        selected from the group consisting of polycarbonates, carbon        fiber reinforced polymers, carbon fiber alloys, titanium,        aramids, poly-praraphenylene terephthalamide, and combinations        thereof.        In some embodiments of the uncoupled cantilevered posterior        cranial shield system, the yoke is configured to be integrated        with or attached to an upper back portion of the athletic        shoulder pad.        In some embodiments of the uncoupled cantilevered posterior        cranial shield system, the attenuating cantilevered arch is        composed of a material selected from the group consisting of        carbon steels, stainless steels, polycarbonates, carbon fiber        reinforced polymers, carbon fiber alloys, titanium, aramids,        poly-praraphenylene terephthalamide, composite materials, and        combinations thereof.

While various inventive aspects, concepts and features of the generalinventive concepts are described and illustrated herein in the contextof various exemplary embodiments, these various aspects, concepts andfeatures may be used in many alternative embodiments, eitherindividually or in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof.Unless expressly excluded herein all such combinations andsub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the generalinventive concepts. Still further, while various alternative embodimentsas to the various aspects, concepts and features of the inventions (suchas alternative materials, structures, configurations, methods, devicesand components, alternatives as to form, fit and function, and so on)may be described herein, such descriptions are not intended to be acomplete or exhaustive list of available alternative embodiments,whether presently known or later developed.

Those skilled in the art may readily adopt one or more of the inventiveaspects, concepts and features into additional embodiments and useswithin the scope of the general inventive concepts, even if suchembodiments are not expressly disclosed herein. Additionally, eventhough some features, concepts and aspects of the inventions may bedescribed herein as being a preferred arrangement or method, suchdescription is not intended to suggest that such feature is required ornecessary unless expressly so stated. Still further, exemplary orrepresentative values and ranges may be included to assist inunderstanding the present disclosure; however, such values and rangesare not to be construed in a limiting sense and are intended to becritical values or ranges only if so expressly stated.

Moreover, while various aspects, features and concepts may be expresslyidentified herein as being inventive or forming part of an invention,such identification is not intended to be exclusive, but rather theremay be inventive aspects, concepts and features that are fully describedherein without being expressly identified as such or as part of aspecific invention. Descriptions of exemplary methods or processes arenot limited to inclusion of all steps as being required in all cases,nor is the order that the steps are presented to be construed asrequired or necessary unless expressly so stated.

1. A protective helmet, comprising: an energy dissipative assemblycomprising: a conforming protective base adapted to directly contact andconform to a corresponding bony anatomical region of a wearer's head,wherein the bony anatomical region is defined by frontal, left and rightzygomatic, left and right temporal and occipital skull bones, theconforming protective base comprising: at least one rigid frontalsegment, rigid left and right side segments, and at least one rigidoccipital segment, each segment comprising a deformation resistantmaterial; a supported flexible suspended crown having interior andexterior surfaces, an apex region, a frontal region extending generallyforwardly and downwardly from the apex region, left and right sideregions extending generally downwardly and laterally from the apexregion, and a rear region extending generally rearwardly and downwardlyfrom the apex region, the supported flexible suspended crown adapted tobe affixed to the conforming protective base, and configured to define agap separating substantially all of the interior surface of thesupported flexible suspended crown from contact with a correspondinganatomical crown region of the wearer when the helmet is donned by thewearer, wherein the anatomical crown region is defined by frontal,parietal, left and right sphenoid, left and right temporal, andoccipital skull bones, the supported flexible suspended crowncomprising: one contoured flexible shell comprising a compliant energydissipating material that, when impacted, undergoes deformation to anextent that is greater than deformation, when impacted, of thedeformation resistant material of the conforming protective base.
 2. Theprotective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the conformingprotective base supports the helmet on the wearer's head when donnedsuch that energy from an impact to the supported flexible suspendedcrown is dissipated, at least partially, by deformation of the contouredflexible shell of the supported flexible suspended crown, transmissionthrough the contoured flexible shell to the conforming protective base,or a combination thereof.
 3. The protective helmet according to claim 1,wherein the conforming protective base is continuous.
 4. The protectivehelmet according to claim 1, wherein the conforming protective base hasat least one discontinuity.
 5. The protective helmet according to claim1, wherein the conforming protective base comprises a fixator. 6.(canceled)
 7. (canceled)
 8. (canceled)
 9. (canceled)
 10. (canceled) 11.(canceled)
 12. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein thehelmet further comprises a harness system affixed to the conformingprotective base, the harness system comprising at least one contouredband that contacts the wearer's head when the helmet is donned.
 13. Theprotective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the conformingprotective base and supported flexible suspended crown are separate andaffixable together and are adapted to be independently donned insequence by a wearer, the sequence including donning the conformingprotective base followed by donning the supported flexible suspendedcrown, each of the conforming protective base and supported flexiblesuspended crown comprising corresponding engagement features.
 14. Theprotective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the conformingprotective base and supported flexible suspended crown are affixedtogether and adapted to be donned as a unitary structure by a wearer.15. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the helmet is afootball helmet.
 16. The protective helmet according to claim 13,wherein the helmet includes one or more of a chin strap, face guard, andvisor affixed or affixable to the helmet.
 17. A protective helmet,comprising: a conforming protective base adapted to directly contact andconform to a corresponding bony anatomical region of a wearer's head,wherein the bony anatomical region is defined by frontal, left and rightzygomatic, left and right temporal and occipital skull bones; and ahelmet crown arrangement connected at one end to the conformingprotective base, the helmet crown arrangement extending to one contouredflexible shell; the one contoured flexible shell defining at least aportion of a crown arrangement corresponding to but separated by apredetermined distance from a corresponding anatomical crown region ofthe wearer when the helmet is donned by the wearer, wherein theanatomical crown region is defined by frontal, parietal, left and rightsphenoid, left and right temporal, and occipital skull bones.
 18. Theprotective helmet according to claim 17, wherein the conformingprotective base supports the helmet on the wearer's head when donnedsuch that energy from an impact applied to the one contoured flexibleshell of the helmet crown arrangement is dissipated, at least partially,by deformation of the one contoured flexible shell, transmission throughthe one contoured flexible shell to the conforming protective base, or acombination thereof.
 19. A protective helmet, comprising: a conformingprotective base adapted to directly contact and conform to acorresponding bony anatomical region of a wearer's head, wherein thebony anatomical region is defined by frontal, left and right zygomatic,left and right temporal and occipital skull bones; a helmet crownarrangement connected at one end to the conforming protective base, thehelmet crown arrangement extending to one contoured flexible shell; theone contoured flexible shell forming the crown arrangement beingcomplementarily contoured and spaced away by a predetermined distancefrom a corresponding anatomical crown region of the wearer when thehelmet is donned by the wearer, wherein the anatomical crown region isdefined by frontal, parietal, left and right sphenoid, left and righttemporal, and occipital skull bones; and a harness system affixed to theconforming protective base and spaced away from the helmet crownarrangement, the harness system comprising at least one contoured bandthat contacts the wearer's head when the helmet is donned; wherein theconforming protective base supports the helmet on the wearer's head whendonned such that energy from an impact applied to a cantilevered portionof the at least one cantilevered member of the helmet crown arrangementis dissipated, at least partially, by deformation of the at least onecantilevered member, transmission through the at least one cantileveredmember to the conforming protective base, or a combination thereof. 20.(canceled)
 21. (canceled)
 22. (canceled)
 23. (canceled)
 24. (canceled)25. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the helmetfurther comprises at least one intermediate head covering comprising oneor both of a hard shell, and a cushion spaced away from the helmet crownarrangement, the at least one intermediate head covering protectivelycovering at least a portion of the anatomical crown region of the wearerwhen donned.
 26. The protective helmet according to claim 5, wherein thefixator comprises a latch.
 27. The protective helmet according to claim14, wherein the helmet includes one or more of a chin strap, face guard,and visor affixed or affixable to the helmet.
 28. The protective helmetaccording to claim 14, wherein at least one region of the supportedflexible suspended crown affixing the supported flexible suspended crownto the conforming protective base includes a dissipator, the dissipatoracting as a resilient device.
 29. The protective helmet according toclaim 17, wherein the helmet further comprises a harness system affixedto the conforming protective base, the harness system comprising atleast one contoured band that contacts the wearer's head when the helmetis donned.
 30. The protective helmet according to claim 17, wherein thehelmet further comprises at least one intermediate head coveringcomprising one or both of a hard shell, and a cushion spaced away fromthe helmet crown arrangement, the at least one intermediate headcovering protectively covering at least a portion of the anatomicalcrown region of the wearer when donned.
 31. The protective helmetaccording to claim 19, wherein the helmet further comprises at least oneintermediate head covering comprising one or both of a hard shell, and acushion spaced away from the helmet crown arrangement, the at least oneintermediate head covering protectively covering at least a portion ofthe anatomical crown region of the wearer when donned.